Alert archive / Kansas / Special Weather Statements in 2026

Special Weather Statement, NWS Dodge City, KS

August 8, 2026Hamilton County, Kansas

NWS Dodge City, KS issued this special weather statement at Aug 8, 2026, 4:03 PM MDT for Hamilton County, Kansas. It was in force for 42 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Aug 8, 2026, 4:03 PM MDT (22:03 UTC)
Expired: Aug 8, 2026, 4:45 PM MDT
In force: 42 min
Issued by: NWS Dodge City, KS
Hail: 0.00 in
Wind: 55

County Hamilton County, KS

The radar

The Goodland radar (KGLD), 135 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:02 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The text

As transmitted.

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What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this special weather statement went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Dodge City, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before this special weather statement went out at Aug 8, 3:30 PM MDT, 33 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

Heat wave continues through early next week, with afternoon temperatures well over 100 degrees. This will be a dry heat with strong south winds, increasing the risk of dehydration each afternoon. Drink plenty of water, and ensure pets and livestock have a sufficient water supply.
A pattern change is expected late next week, with much cooler temperatures and improved rainfall opportunities.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 8, 3:30 PM MDT, 33 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Dodge City KS
430 PM CDT Sat Aug 8 2026

...Updated Aviation/Key Messages...

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Heat wave continues through early next week, with afternoon
  temperatures well over 100 degrees. This will be a dry heat
  with strong south winds, increasing the risk of dehydration
  each afternoon. Drink plenty of water, and ensure pets and
  livestock have a sufficient water supply.

- A pattern change is expected late next week, with much cooler
  temperatures and improved rainfall opportunities.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 1237 PM CDT Sat Aug 8 2026

WV imagery indicates a northwest flow aloft prevailing across
the Western High Plains downstream of a ridge centered across
the Desert Southwest. Near the surface, a lee side trough of low
pressure is slowly strengthening across eastern Colorado.

Minimal thunderstorm chances (20%) exist across west central/central
Kansas this evening as the SREF indicates a weak upper level
shortwave and associated H5 vort maxima cycling southeast off
the ridge axis in the Northern Rockies into the high plains of
western Nebraska and northeast Colorado. Near the surface,
prevailing southerlies will support pooling moisture ahead of an
advancing dryline, providing modest instability with MUCAPE
values upward of 1000 J/kg or so. Despite weaker dynamic support
aloft, steeping mid- level lapse rates in vicinity of an axis
of increased low level convergence associated with the dryline
will set the stage for potential isolated thunderstorm
development this evening as H5 vort maxima transition through.
This is suggested by a few CAMs and the HREF pointing to only a
10 to 20% probability of 6-hr QPF exceeding a mere 0.1 of an
inch in vicinity of the I-70 corridor by late evening.
Hotter/drier conditions are likely the next couple of days as
southwesterly downsloping enhances a drier air mass across the
Western High Plains.

Very warm temperatures are forecast tonight as southwesterly
downsloping reinforces a warmer air mass across southwest/central
Kansas. With the HREF painting a 70-90% probability of temperatures
dropping below 75F in west central and extreme southwest Kansas to
to only a 10-20% probability of slipping below 75F in south central
Kansas, look for lows generally down into 70s(F). Southwesterly
downsloping will further enhance drier air into southwest Kansas
Sunday, nudging H85 temperatures up from Saturday with a little
above 30C in central Kansas to near 35C near the Colorado line.
Expect widespread afternoon highs topping 100F with the HREF showing
a widespread 80-90% probability of temperatures exceeding the
century mark. Similar conditions are likely Monday.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY/...
Issued at 430 PM CDT Sat Aug 8 2026

VFR/SKC will continue through this TAF period, with scattered
cirrus. Radar at 2130z showed high based convection well NW of
GCK, moving southeast. This activity is expected to weaken and
not reach the GCK terminal, but will be monitored. Other
thunderstorms east of HYS are expected to remain east of that
airport. Elevated southwest winds currently will trend south
and remain elevated through tonight, with a strong low level jet
keeping the boundary layer mixed. Included low level wind shear
in TAFs as appropriate. After 15z Sun, southwest winds will
increase again at all airports, gusting 25-30 kts.

&&

.DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.

&&

DISCUSSION...JJohnson
AVIATION...Turner
KEY MESSAGES...Turner

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 8, 4:03 PM MDT, 0 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Dodge City KS
403 PM MDT Sat Aug 8 2026

KSZ061-082245-
Hamilton KS-
403 PM MDT Sat Aug 8 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN HAMILTON COUNTY
THROUGH 445 PM MDT...

At 403 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 11
miles northeast of Hartman, or 14 miles north of Coolidge, moving
southeast at 20 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph. Areas of blowing dust reducing
         visibility.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects.

This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of northwestern
Hamilton County.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 3826 10204 3826 10164 3790 10204
TIME...MOT...LOC 2203Z 309DEG 11KT 3824 10207

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH

TURNER

The office that day

Everything else NWS Dodge City, KS issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Aug 8, 4:45 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	DDC	Hamilton	45 min
Aug 8, 5:00 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	DDC	Scott	45 min
Aug 8, 5:22 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	DDC	Hamilton, Kearny	38 min
Aug 8, 5:41 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	DDC	Scott	49 min
Aug 8, 5:54 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DDC	Finney, Kearny	51 min

Nearby

Special Weather Statements in Kansas, 2026 Every special weather statement in 2026

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.